The Daily Northwestern - April 1st, 2024

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NU’s basketball season ends against No. 1 UConn

Monday, April 1, 2024

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Crossword & Games desk to bring minis, full puzzles in Spring Quarter

Ryan Field raises noise concerns

Stadium neighbors complain following six weeks of demolition

By ANAVI PRAKASH daily senior staffer @anavi_52

Following six weeks of demolition, the only part of Ryan Field still standing is the Leonard B. omas press box, located on the west side of the stadium. e north, south and east sides all lay barren.

The structure is being demolished as part of the eld’s $800-million rebuilding process.

Demolition started on Feb. 16 and is expected to nish in May. Throughout the process, residents living near the eld said they have experienced high levels of noise. e most noticeable has been the jackhammer, a sound west-side resident Fiona McCarthy said is “obnoxious.”

McCarthy said she is concerned about the sound impacting the time she and her family spend outside, especially as the weather gets be er.

“For the residents who are

Wesley tenants demand support

Amid building concerns, city asks residents to leave

By WILLIAM TONG daily senior staffer @william2tong

Evanston resident William Carter moved to the 2014 Wesley Ave. apartment building in the 5th Ward three and a half years ago. ere, he found a “self-made” community of tenants who look out for each other, he said.

“If one of the tenants who has a hard time going up and down stairs has groceries … we grab the groceries and bring them up,” Carter said. “ is is a well-knit, protective community.”

On Feb. 13, the city noti ed him and other tenants at the 2014, 2018 and 2024 Wesley

Ave. apartments that the buildings’ stairs and stair landings had deteriorated to a dangerous level. e city recommended Carter and his neighbors move out immediately.

“I was shocked that they would bring us into a room — as a group of elderly Black tenants — and tell us we need to get out of our homes,” he said.

As of Saturday, 15 of 16 households living at the Wesley apartments have not moved out. City o cials have not set a deadline for tenants to leave. While the remaining tenants recognize the need to leave the apartments, they do not feel comfortable doing so without stronger commitments from the city to support them in securing and subsidizing alternate housing, Carter said.

» See WESLEY, page 10

really close by, (the jackhammering has) been very, very disruptive,” Ald. Eleanor Revelle (7th) said. “And we’ve relayed that to the team. But they have to use the jackhammer, so that noise is probably going to go on for another couple of weeks.”

Central Street Consortium, contracted to conduct the rebuild, is using jackhammers to take down the west tower. Revelle said the tower is a composite structure with steel and concrete in it. To get to the steel, the workers have to

By DAVID SAMSON daily senior staffer @dpsamson_

After 15 hours of dancing, “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen played over the speakers to close out the 50th Northwestern University Dance Marathon. Ba ling sleep deprivation and fatigue, hundreds of student dancers stood up for the Saturday morning encore, raising their hands to celebrate an unforge able night at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

NUDM is one of the largest student-run philanthropy organizations in the U.S., raising over $23 million for more than 40 di erent charities over its 50 year history.

is year, NUDM raised $342,138 for primary bene ciary Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana and secondary bene ciary the Evanston Community Foundation.

“It’s a great year for the Dance

jackhammer the concrete, she said. Resident Ken Proskie, who lives on the east side of the stadium, said another point of concern is vibrations that started last week due to the testing and installation of the Earth Retention System.

e system will support the excavation of the stadium by preventing soil movement. Any erosion would harm the new stadium’s structure during the

» See DEMOLITION, page 10

7 A&E/Cowboy Carter

Country fan, BeyHive member review album

Nowruz brings food, art to NU

Community marks Central Asian new year as part of series

By KAAVYA BUTANEY daily senior staffer @kaavya_butaney

e Northwestern community hosted the Kyrgyz Community Center Friday to celebrate Nowruz, the Persian and Turkic New Year, with musical performances, cultural clothing and Kyrgyz food.

e Kyrgyz Community Center brought a traditional yurt to the Main Library Plaza from their Arlington Heights location, as well as two dance groups, musical performances with the traditional instruments komuz and temir komuz, and a display of various traditional Kyrgyz clothing.

A variety of countries in and near Central Asia celebrate Nowruz, including Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

e Nowruz celebration is part of a larger series called “Reimagining Slavic: Art, Culture, and Performance in Soviet and Post-Soviet Central Asia.”

Co-organizer and third-year Slavic languages and literatures graduate student Adam Laten Willson said Nowruz is an opportunity to host a unique event at NU while connecting with the local Central Asian community.

e series is co-sponsored by the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, the Nicholas D. Chabraja Center for Historical Studies, the Asian Languages and Cultures Department, the Bu e Institute for Global A airs, and the Russian, Eurasian, and East European Studies Research Program.

Nowruz is about gathering people for picnics and making food for them, as well as the performances at Friday’s event, Kyrgyz Community Center President Nurdin Mamatzhan said.

Mamatzhan and Willson highlighted sumalak, a Central Asian dish only made during the new year. Willson said sumalak is made of germinated wheat that requires hours or days of continuous stirring.

Jibek Jolu, a Kyrgyz restaurant in Chicago, provided sumalak and borsook, a fried dough, chalap, a yogurt-based drink and maksym,

» See NOWRUZ , page 10

Marathon to be celebrating 50 years of supporting communities … through their fundraising e orts and raising awareness for nonprofits,” said RMHC-CNI CEO Holly Buckendahl. “Ronald McDonald House Charities as a system turns 50 this year too, so it was really a great moment where we could celebrate together the great work that we do impacting the lives of children and families.”

According to Buckendahl and Megan Kuehl, director of corporate and foundation relations at RMHC-CNI and NUDM’s charity liaison, when a child has an illness, it a ects the whole family.

RMHC-CNI helps provide families with housing and support while their children are receiving care. Kuehl said the charity does not want families to worry about cost or travel barriers when considering a life-saving treatment for their children.

As NUDM’s primary

beneficiary, RMHC-CNI will receive 90% of the fundraising proceeds. e other 10% will go to Evanston Community Foundation, which works to build a more equitable Evanston by awarding grants and endowment funds to

individuals, families and community organizations. NUDM has donated over $1 million to ECF since their partnership began in 1997.

» See NUDM, page 10

Sam McLain/The Daily Northwestern Students packed into Welsh-Ryan Arena Friday night and Saturday morning.

Anavi Prakash/The Daily Northwestern

The demolition of Ryan Field has been ongoing since mid-February and is set to be complete in May. Current demolition activities are causing vibrations in residential areas, residents said.

Danish chain Joe & The Juice arrives in Evanston

By SHUN GRAVES the daily northwestern @realshungraves

Denmark-based Joe & The Juice has expanded to more than a dozen countries since its founding in 2002, but its Illinois footprint remained confined to downtown Chicago until February. Enter Evanston.

“The younger audience loves us too,” said Quran Murray, who manages the chain’s new Evanston outpost. “Northwestern is right over there.”

Located in a renovated Central Street storefront, the upscale coffee, shake and sandwich purveyor made its first foray into Chicago’s suburbs on Feb. 15. So far, business has fared “better than we expected,” Murray said, in what could prove a test for the upscale chain’s staying power outside the city center.

Evanston resident Ellisa Cole stopped by Joe & The Juice for the first time Saturday afternoon.

“For people that are more into the juices and healthier drink options and food options, it might be really perfect for them,” she said.

Cole sat at a window-side table with a cup of tea because the store didn’t have the creamer she sought. Still, Cole called the earthy-toned space “gorgeous” and said she might return.

Joe & The Juice sells various coffees, avocadobased sandwiches and juice options that range from an “Energizer” to “Stress Down” and “Prince of Green” to “Iron Man” — a descriptor that could also fit the new gym in the same building.

Eileen O’Neill Burke wins primary for Cook County State’s Attorney

Democrat and former Illinois Appellate Court Judge Eileen O’Neill Burke defeated professor and former prosecutor Clayton Harris III in a neck-to-neck primary race for Cook County State’s Attorney, 10 days after vote

Just more than a month since his store opened, Quran Murray works the counter at Joe & The Juice on Central Street.

The newly redeveloped, two-story 1801 Central St. building also includes a budding wellness gym that could synergize with Joe & The Juice, Murray said. A door connects the two spaces, and once a temporary dividing wall comes down, drinking a cup of joe could come with a view of gym exercises, he added.

“Some of the guys in here from the gym are here a lot, and just talking to them about the plans, it’s mind-boggling,” Murray said. “Obviously that’s going to be good for business for us — but for them as well. People who go to the

counting began.

“The State’s Attorney’s office has a noble mission to represent victims and uphold the law,” O’Neill Burke said in a Friday news release. “It’s a solemn obligation that I will take on with humility and dedication.”

Although former Chicago Ald. Bob Fioretti is running as the unopposed Republican candidate, Democrats have held the State’s Attorney seat since 1996.

gym, work out, come to us, get a protein shake and a sandwich, it’s a good combination.”

The gym is not the only Central Street collaboration with Joe & The Juice. The store’s interior features local art, and Joe & The Juice sits next to Hewn, an artisan bread bakery. Though Joe & The Juice offers a few pastries, Murray called the neighboring establishments a “combination” because of the store’s focus on drinks.

The cafe-juicery arrives in a bustling business district centered on the Central Street Metra station. Joe & The Juice’s arrival added a “great vibe” to the

Shun Graves/The Daily Northwestern

area, Central Street Evanston Community Director Angela Shaffer said in an email to The Daily.

Murray, who lives in Evanston, previously managed one of Joe & The Juice’s Chicago locations and said the new outpost could offer a blueprint for the chain’s suburban push.

“This was definitely a test site to see, can we step outside of urban Chicago?” Murray said. “I think the success of this store showed that we can, for sure.”

shungraves2027@u.northwestern.edu

Another key race in the March 19 primaries was for clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County between incumbent Iris Martinez and Mariyana Spyropoulos, the current metropolitan water reclamation district commissioner.

Spyropoulos had the county Democratic

O’Neill Burke will replace incumbent State’s Attorney Kim Foxx if she wins the election in November. She received 1,556 more votes than Harris — despite Harris winning the endorsement of the Cook County Democratic Party — the Associated Press reported.

Party’s backing and won with 65% of the votes. Incumbent Illinois Supreme Court Justice Joy Cunningham, who represents the 1st District, also had the county party’s backing and defeated 1st District Appellate Court Justice Jesse Reyes. No Republicans are running in November for the 1st District seat.

U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston) ran unopposed in the primary for her re-election.

Misha Oberoi

McSA’s Wildcat I ar invites celebration

By KELLEY LU the daily northwestern @kelleylu_

At 7:12 p.m. Wednesday, about 160 Muslim students gathered in Parkes Hall to break their fast with a chewy, sweet date.

Every year, the Muslim-cultural Students Association holds i ars during Ramadan, a 29 or 30-day period of fasting from sunrise to sunset. I ars are the evening fast-breaking meals during Ramadan, typically eaten with family and friends a er the Maghrib prayer.

“ is brings grounding and the spiritual aspect that sometimes gets taken away when we’re consumed in our academic lives or on campus,” Communication sophomore Edina Naherovic said.

For students away from family, i ars also provide a sense of community.

Salma Mostafa, a rst-year sociology graduate student from Egypt, said she hopes to meet new people during i ars.

“ is is my rst time connecting with the Muslim community at Northwestern,” Mostafa said. “It’s been pre y amazing, especially being far from home.”

I ars are usually treated as a time of celebration. However, in light of the current war in Gaza, this year’s Ramadan also holds a sense of shared grief and pain for some.

Israel’s continued ground and air o ensive in Gaza has killed more than 32,000 people, according to Palestinian authorities. e ongoing war follows the militant group Hamas’ Oct. 7 a ack in Israel, which killed about 1,200 people, according to Israeli authorities.

Mostafa said the Palestinian cause is familiar to the Muslim community because a large majority of Palestinians are Muslim, and many Muslims have a shared understanding of how non-Muslim communities can stereotype the religion. Coming from a predominantly Muslim country, she added that she has been coming to terms with changes in how Muslim culture is perceived in the U.S.

“I think that’s why I need it more than ever right now — to be able to connect with people who come from a similar place,” Mostafa said. “We have a sense of shared pain about what’s going on.”

Since McSA is one of the largest Muslim community groups on campus, the organization works with Religious and Spiritual Life and the University to coordinate and ensure meals for Muslim students during Ramadan.

SESP junior and McSA co-president Rayyana Hassan said McSA’s main goal is to provide daily i ars at Foster-Walker Complex’s dining halls with halal and zabiha-certi ed meals, as well as later dining hours.

Part of Islamic culture is the ability to recognize and celebrate how others practice their religion, Mostafa said.

“We are told since we were young that we are made into so many di erent people, so many di erent cultures,” Mostafa said. “It’s just amazing to be able to get to know people and see where they’re coming from.”

Regions around the world have local traditions surrounding the food eaten during i ar. Most common are rice and meat dishes and small appetizers meant to be shared down a table, Hassan said.

e catered food at NU i ars draws from a variety of ethnicities to capture the diversity of the religion and provide students a reminder of home.

“A lot of people’s memories with Ramadan is a community space, a family,” Hassan said. “We have a lot of South Asian background, Arab background, as

well as West African and East African backgrounds in our food that we’re representing this month.”

McSA will continue to hold events during the remainder of Ramadan, which ends Apr. 9. Community i ars are open to Muslim students, and McSA organized a Wildcat I ar that was open to all students on Sunday night.

Weinberg sophomore Louis Chavey a ended Wednesday’s i ar with a Muslim friend, wanting to see what an i ar is like and enjoy the good food.

He said he noticed the large and supportive community at the event and appreciates everyone’s e ort to gather together amidst busy schedules.

“Even if I might not be knowledgeable about the religion or the practices and stu , I think I can denitely still o er my presence, my company and my support in that way,” Chavey said.

Hassan said she encouraged students to invite their non-Muslim friends or professors to the Wildcat I ar. e goal is to have them “feel welcome in that same space as our Muslim brothers and sisters do,” she added.

“It’s not just their Muslim allies supporting (the Muslim students), it’s also a wider community that wants to celebrate them as well,” Hassan said.

kelleylu2027@u.northwestern.edu

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Francesco Thorik-Saboia/The Daily Northwestern Weinberg Junior Mustafa Ismail walks up to the stage to give Adhan, the call to prayer in Islam. The Muslimcultural Students Association hosted multiple community I ars during Ramadan, with hundreds of attendees.

— Jake Epstein

Barnhizer, NU headed into a Sunday night ba le with goliath — No. 1 overall seed UConn. e Huskies stormed out to a commanding rst-half lead, leaving coach Chris Collins’ team in a deep hal ime hole. While the shorthanded ’Cats ultimately fell 75-58, Collins said the group’s legacy wouldn’t be de ned by

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A&E arts & entertainment

Bad Bunny fans pack United Center over weekend

By JOANNE HANER daily senior staffer @joanne_n_h

Lasers. Smoke. Pyrotechnics. A real horse. Trap Bad Bunny is back.

A er the immense success of his 2022 reggaeton album “Un Verano Sin Ti,” Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny (Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) returned to his trap reggaeton roots with his 2023 album, “nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana.”

While “Un Verano Sin Ti” broke the record for most-streamed album ever on Spotify, “nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana” became the moststreamed album in a single day in 2023.

at being said, it’s no surprise that Bad Bunny’s tour was so highly anticipated. Called the “Most Wanted Tour,” Bad Bunny announced that he would be going back to his trap era for this performance, writing in online tour promotions, “solamente trap” — or “only trap” — and “if you’re not a real fan don’t come.”

Bad Bunny fans lled United Center for the three nights ahead of Easter Weekend. Initial ticket prices for nosebleed seats surpassed $200, and lower bowl seats cost more than $700 in some cities. e average price of a resale tour ticket was $640, according to SeatGeek.

ough some ticket prices reached four digits, fans still showed up and showed out for one of the world’s biggest artists, and he gave that energy right back to the crowd. e elaborate stage setup included two stages on either side of the venue and a rotating platform that brought him eye-to-eye with the fans in the upper bowls.

Bad Bunny opened the show with a live orchestra — because what else would a three-time Grammy winner do to kick o their show? e orchestra’s playing signaled straggling fans to rush to their seats, but as the music shi ed to the opening music from the titular track of the album, the venue’s energy shi ed.

As Bad Bunny emerged from the smoke with his head covered in a black scarf, the crowd, lled with cowboy hats and boots as far as the eye could

see, was electri ed. Shifting into the show’s second song and one of the most streamed songs on the 22-track album, “MONACO” brought a multitude of e ects, including laser shows, smoke screens and, of course, the most energetic choreography you ever did see.

e rest of the show consisted of plenty of other e ects and surprises — including Bad Bunny on horseback, ame cannons on beat, ares, light shows from synchronized crowd necklaces and more. Saturday’s performance even featured a surprise appearance from Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko, who appears on “FINA” on the album.

e 37-song setlist placed the concert at just over two and a half hours in length, but Bad Bunny rarely le the stage. He performed the vast majority of the newest album plus a handful of hits from “Un Verano Sin Ti” and his 2020 album “YHLQMDLG” (Yo Hago Lo Que Me Da La Gana/I Do Whatever I Want).

Unfortunately, tracks from his 2018 debut

studio album “X100PRE” were few and far between. As the album that solidified his standing as the Latin trap king, I was expecting more songs to make the cut, such as “La Romana” or “200 MPH.”

However, the older trap songs of Bad Bunny didn’t go unrecognized. During the show’s middle chunk, Benito brought back his mixtape days, mixing together popular songs from 2016 and 2017 like “Soy Peor,” “Chambea,” “Vuelve” and “Diles.”

Overall, the show was a complete vibe switch from his 2022 “World’s Ho est Tour.” Flowy beach out ts, palm fronds and bright colors were swapped for denim and leather. Nevertheless, Bad Bunny proved he can do it all, pu ing on one of the most visually elaborate and appealing shows of the year.

With this tour, Bad Bunny has reminded fans that he is not just an artist and trailblazer of the genre but also an award-winning performer. joannehaner2024@u.northwestern.edu

Students embrace art, inclusivity at burlesque show

By BETSY LECY the daily northwestern @betsy_lecy

Audiences laughed, gasped and even blushed as burlesque dancers stripped down to lacy lingerie, spun around on the pole and danced with fake penises in the Louis Room at Norris University Center this weekend. With a lively audience clapping and hollering, Lipstick Burlesque produced its annual show, with dancers like “Oliver Clotheso ” and “Femme Fatale” performing a parade of dance routines that included the cowboy-themed “Yee-Hawties” and the co ee- lled “Baristalesque.”

e 90-minute performance celebrated all bodies, sexualities and identities, aiming to promote empowerment in a burlesque style, according to Lipstick Burlesque co-Producer and Communication junior Samantha Webster.

Communication junior Apollo Umbra o en does theater performances, but he said Lipstick Burlesque is the only production that hasn’t made him anxious. In previous shows, Umbra said, the selectivity of roles felt “segmented” with limits to one producer, one director and one artist.

e welcoming nature of Lipstick didn’t con ne him to one role, he said, helping him pursue multiple disciplines, including makeup, choreography and design.

“It’s not like anyone’s telling you how or what to do,” Umbra said. “We’re guring it out together. ere’s not

a lot of pressure.”

Participation in the show doesn’t require any dance background, dance skill or any experience in burlesque, Webster said.

Webster said that it’s important for the production to have no audition or cut process to ensure inclusivity in all aspects.

“It’s really important to us that this is for everybody— every ability and every di erent stage of life,” Webster said. “I think for college students in particular, coming into adulthood and sort of nding themselves, having an open opportunity to express themselves freely and come into their bodies in a dance space without feeling judged or shamed or critiqued is really important.”

Communication sophomore Nadia van den Berg, who a ended one of the shows, appreciated the comical and “sexy” mix of performances, ranging from a “Cars” tribute titled “Kachow!” to a Bridgerton-themed performance, “Masked Desire”.

Aside from enjoying the “raunchy” energy, van den Berg said the inclusivity inspired her to potentially participate in the future.

“It just felt like everyone could do it — you didn’t need to be a professional dancer,” she said. “I just loved it. I want to be in it.”

Communication freshman and performer Zakariah Massoud, said the workshops for self-love and intimacy prior to the show prepared them for the level of intimacy required for the production. He said that intimacy with other performers felt “seamless” going into the show.

For each production, the show had a designated security team to ensure that everyone who entered was either a Northwestern student or a liated with someone who is a student, Webster said. e team checked the ages of audience members to con rm most people were under 25.

e security team also walked through the aisles to verify that audience members weren’t recording the performance to respect the privacy of the performers.

“Consent is something that is really, really important to us in this space,” Webster said. “So making sure that nobody gets filmed, recorded or photographed without their permission is our number one.”

This is Webster’s second time producing Lipstick Burlesque. Despite the strenuous logistical details of the production, she said it’s “ridiculously” worth it.

Webster said the work comes with ease when she gets to welcome a new cast and returning members each year and see their confidence grow throughout the process.

“It really is the gift that keeps on giving,” Webster said. “It’s just a really beautiful, magical thing to be able to create.”

elizabethlecy2027.1@u.northwestern.edu

Joanne Haner/Daily Senior Sta er Bad Bunny performs at the United Center for the first night of the “Most Wanted Tour.”

File Illustration by Lily Ogburn Lipstick Burlesque’s 90-minute performance featured themed routines like “Yee-Hawties” and “Baristalesque.”

‘Birthday Candles’ creates rich emotional journey

By JILLIAN MOORE the daily northwestern @jillian_moore7

e smell of vanilla wa s over the audience as Ernestine, played by Communication junior Rachel Rubin, makes a real golden bu er cake throughout “Birthday Candles,” WAVE Productions’ spring play.

e show follows Ernestine’s 17th to 107th birthdays and explores traditions that bring people together through time. “Birthday Candles” will have four total showtimes Friday and Saturday at Seabury Hall.

“Birthday Candles” holds Northwestern’s nonpro t student theater company WAVE’s sustainability slot this spring, meaning the show has a smaller budget and prioritizes environmental awareness.

e set includes refurbished kitchen pieces from a show earlier this year, along with props brought in by the cast, crew and production team.

e play’s director and Communication sophomore Haley Bart said her vision for sustainability extends beyond avoiding new purchases.

“ We have a bit of a smaller budget and are encouraged to do a lot of reusing… being mindful of how we can make theatre in a way that is good for the environment,” Bart said. “ at can also translate to being sustainable for everyone’s emotional and mental health throughout the process.”

e show also operates with a small cast. Four

of the six actors play multiple characters. When one character leaves Ernestine, the same actor playing another role soon joins her again.

Communication junior Yunuen Mora, who plays Ernestine’s daughter-in-law, granddaughter and the next owner of her house, said her role presented a unique opportunity.

“Along with playing di erent characters in each scene, they all age, and sometimes that could be just a year, or sometimes that could be 10 years, 20 years,” she said. “ e hardest part is trying to make sure that all of those characters are distinct.”

Just two days before planning to load into its old venue — Shanley Pavilion — the crew learned the building was unavailable due to maintenance.

Despite facing obstacles with echoes and ooring in Seabury Hall, the play’s stage manager and Communication junior Becker Spear said he prioritized making sure the cast didn’t have negative feelings about the location change.

“No ma er where rehearsal was, whether it was in even a Locy Hall classroom, the show stands for itself,” he said. “ e church o ers it a new perspective. I think it’s really beautiful with the stained glass. It’s kind of erce.”

e cast and crew coordinated spring “bakeovers,” which bolstered the show’s social media presence. ey documented their experiences on their Instagram, @birthdaycandles_nu.

Mora said spending time together in a di erent context helped the cast — many of whom play family members — get into character.

“We baked cupcake versions of the (centerpiece

golden bu er cake) together,” she said. “ at was a super fun bonding experience, ge ing to do this ritual and ge ing close together as people by doing something super sweet and really earnest.”

While Ernestine doesn’t achieve her dreams, she experiences the beautiful, scary and sad parts of life alongside her family, discovering the extraordinary in the mundane.

For Bart, one of her favorite parts of directing

“Birthday Candles” was collaborating with actors and designers on the “philosophical” show. “I just hope that audiences leave feeling a certain gratitude for the ordinary moments of our lives and the moments that we get to share with people that we really love,” she said.

jillianmoore2027@u.northwestern.edu

Two listeners review Beyoncé album ‘COWBOY CARTER’

By JILLIAN MOORE and TAYLOR HANCOCK the daily northwestern @jillian_moore @taylor_hancock

Global superstar Beyoncé released her eighth studio album and rst country album, “COWBOY CARTER,” on Friday. It features 27 songs totaling 79 minutes, almost maxing out the 80-minute capacity

of a CD. Both political and personal, the album is composed of broken song fragments, spoken introductions and heavy-handed Western motifs.

The new genre influences have sparked

commentary from Beyoncé followers and country fans alike — although there might be more overlap than we think. e Daily had two of our own sit down with the album and share their thoughts.

A country fan’s take A Beyoncé fan’s take

“COWBOY CARTER” embraces Americana while analyzing its faults. As a country music fan, I was intrigued by how Beyoncé would t into the genre — and even change it. I’m thrilled with the result.

On her “SPAGHE II” feature, Linda Martell — one of the rst commercially successful Black female country singers — says, “Genres are a funny li le concept, aren’t they?”

Indeed, the album is a genre departure from Beyoncé’s past work. Unapologetically adding her own twist to country staples, Beyoncé covers Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” with an a itude and later samples Nancy Sinatra’s “ ese Boots Are Made For Walkin’” in “YA YA.”

e song is no ode to the ’60s, however. She sings, “Whole lo a red in that white and blue / History can’t be erased” and “Are you tired workin’ time and a half for half the pay?” Protest has gone handin-hand with patriotism since the dawn of country music. It’s only ing that Beyoncé, long known

ri s on “DAUGHTER,” the American motif-packed “II HANDS II HEAVEN” and the gothic slow-burn “ALLIIGATOR TEARS,” she chooses to create a mix of eras and styles that breaks from country’s exclusionary tradition.

If storytelling is a de ning feature of country — and I think it is — we can examine “16 CARRIAGES,” another lead single o the album. e song takes a look back at Beyoncé’s work ethic throughout an industrious career, starting from her time spent on tour buses as a 15-year-old teenager signed to Destiny’s Child.

In a post-Kacey Musgraves world where country is increasingly semi-autobiographical, “16 CARRIAGES” is a grand and honest contribution.

As the vocal powerhouse sings in “AMERIICAN REQUIEM”, “For things to stay the same / ey have to change again.” With “COWBOY CARTER”, Beyoncé pushes the country music industry to do some much-needed soul-searching — and continues to push the boundaries of her legacy.

When Beyoncé said that this is not a country album, this is a Beyoncé album, she described “COWBOY CARTER” perfectly. Her ‘act II’ of Renaissance goes past the surface-level album of 10-15 tracks — the 27-song full-course-meal includes preludes and interludes that contribute to the art form that this album is.

roughout the new release, there are subtle reminders that this is the second act of the Renaissance series by swapping out the le er “I” for the Roman numeral “II” in several songs such as “LEVII’S JEANS,” “AMERIICAN REQUIEM,” AND “SPAGHE II.”

Compared to the R&B vibe that most associate Beyoncé with, “COWBOY CARTER” sticks out like a sore thumb in the best way. Almost all of the songs are incomparable to her prior music, yet Beyoncé’s signature sound remains in every song. Beyoncé can do it all, and that’s something she spotlights in this album, collaborating with artists of all genres and fusing her own niche e album opens unexpectedly on a spiritual note with “AMERIICAN REQUIEM” but speaks to a deeper message — the hate Beyoncé has received in pursuing the genre. Speci cally, the lyrics in the chorus, “It’s a lot of cha er in here

Beyoncé experienced a lot of backlash for trying to experiment with country music. e Recording Academy also declined to consider the song in country categories. In “AMERIICAN REQUIEM,” Beyoncé says it’s time to let in love and put an end to the toxicity behind artists entering uncharted territory.

e song that most resembles what could be considered Beyoncé’s typical sound, “RIIVERDANCE,” is one of my top songs on the album. e beat during the chorus brings you back to the hip hop-heavy Beyoncé in “Lemonade,” but it’s special because it could simultaneously be a line dance song in Nashville.

I have to shine a light on the best song on the album — and possibly a top-10 Beyoncé song of all time. “16 CARRIAGES” describes the trials and tribulations of navigating fame at 15 years old and the responsibilities that she’s borne since then. Outside of the storyline, the vocals are nothing short of extraordinary, and the background instrumental could be its own song; It’s just a full package of Queen Bey’s beauty.

formed, she does re-center the song around its original meaning.

guitar, ukulele, banjo, harmonica and tack piano.

Songs chart. So “park your Lexus, and throw your

keys up,” because country listeners across America will soon join the BeyHive.

perform it at a commercial scale

/ But let me make myself clear (Oh)/ Can you hear me? (Huh)” evoke ashbacks to Beyoncé’s 2016

“Daddy Lessons” performance at the Country Music Awards, loudly made negative comments live.

What can’t be neglected are the iconic features, including Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Linda Martell and Post Malone. All of the features add to Beyoncé’s are while speaking to the entire point of “COWBOY CARTER”: making artists feel welcome in all genres. Beyoncé channels her varying discography to cra songw that match not only these artists but also match her style.

All in all, “COWBOY CARTER” is proof that there’s nothing Beyoncé can’t do. Each song is unique, complex and de es all stereotypes of country music. As someone who is not the biggest country fan, I’m much more open to venturing

— Taylor Hancock

arts & entertainment

Editor Mary Randolph

Assistant Editors

Maya Wong Kelly Luo

Design Editors

Jamie Kim

Lillian Ali

Shun Graves/The Daily Northwestern “Birthday Candles” takes place over protagonist Ernestine’s birthdays from ages 17 to 107.

Lillian Ali

where the audience

Humans of McCormick account brings community

By ANAVI PRAKASH the daily northwestern @anavi_52

When McCormick senior Anika Gupta was nominated to be featured on the Humans of McCormick Instagram account, she had only heard of it in passing.

Now, the biomedical engineering major said she thinks it’s a nice way to tell people’s stories.

The McCormick Student Advisory Board started the page in 2020 to highlight McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science students’ lives beyond engineering, MSAB member and McCormick senior Ting Ting Li said.

“I feel like there’s this stereotype of engineers being very antisocial and we don’t really talk to people,” Li said. “We want to show people that we are actually involved on campus and that we’re doing things. We’re not just hunched in our room just studying 24/7.”

Students can nominate themselves or their peers through a form linked on the page. Then, someone from MSAB will contact the nominee, conduct an interview with them and write the caption.

The interview is a new addition to the posting process, according to McCormick sophomore and MSAB External Relations Chair Zeeshan Razzaq. Nominees used to fill out a form with information about themselves and MSAB members would write the captions based on those answers.

Class of 2028 sees rise in admit rate to 7.5%, NU to remain test-optional

Northwestern’s acceptance rate is expected to be 7.5% after receiving more than 50,000 first-year applications during the 2023-24 admissions cycle, according to University spokesperson Jon Yates.

The University admitted about half of these applicants during Early Decision, Yates said in a statement to The Daily. After announcing Early Decision application results on Dec. 15,

“Each of the posts are written less formulaically and more naturally (now),” Razzaq said.

Gupta said she was “grateful” to have an interview instead of a form to fill out. She said she prefers talking to people because a form would have felt like another assignment.

The interview covered her non-engineering major, global health, her passion for sustainability and her work for the Biomedical Engineering Society, Gupta said.

Razzaq said MSAB is working up to featuring students on a biweekly basis.

Li was featured on the page last year, during her tenure as president of MSAB. She said she was surprised to be nominated. She added that part of how students outside McCormick can interact with Humans of McCormick is by nominating their friends to be highlighted.

Although Li and Gupta said they don’t know who nominated them to be featured, Gupta said she has a hunch that it was someone from BMES.

“The fact that they took the time to nominate me was really nice because I feel like all of us deserve so much recognition for the work we put into trying to improve the BME experience,” she said.

Humans of McCormick is one way MSAB tries to build a community, Li said. She said the board also holds E-Week, a week devoted to engineering events later in spring quarter. Razzaq said in addition to community events, the board tries to cultivate strong relationships between McCormick students and faculty.

Gupta said these efforts are part of a collective

NU released decisions for Regular Decision applicants Wednesday.

NU has seen increases in both the number of applicants and the number of secondary schools represented. Students in more than 10,000 secondary schools applied during the most recent admissions cycle, Yates said.

Since the 2019-20 admissions cycle, the University’s acceptance rate has hovered between 7% and 7.2% — the former being a historical low. This year’s acceptance rate remains lower than pre-pandemic levels.

NU unveiled a new set of supplemental questions for the 2023-24 admissions cycle, including a required question for Common

endeavor from engineering organizations to create a sense of community for McCormick students, especially after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. She said people became “complacent” with a lack of camaraderie.

“I hope future McCormick students see the

Application and Coalition with Scoir. Essay questions asked applicants to discuss personal experiences that shaped how they see themselves engaging with the University’s community.

The change followed last June’s Supreme Court ruling banning universities from considering race as a factor in admissions. Universities can still consider how race or ethnicity affected an applicant’s life if one discloses that information in an essay.

Test-optional policies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to increased application numbers and, consequently, decreased acceptance rates. NU will

value in trying to plan events and recognize people so that people feel like they have a community here, because that’s what’s got me through engineering for the past four years,” Gupta said.

anaviprakash2027@u.northwestern.edu

remain test-optional for both first-year and transfer students applying during the 2024-25 admissions cycle.

Students admitted through Regular Decision have until May 1 to accept their offer by submitting nonrefundable housing and tuition deposits.

Transfer applicants who could not meet the March 15 application deadline can apply through April 10. Those students will receive decisions in May.

said. “You want candidates who are willing to do the same to be the ones that get elected.”

— Edward Simon Cruz

Ziye Wang/The Daily Northwestern

The Humans of McCormick Instagram account features what McCormick students enjoy outside of engineering. Students can be nominated through the form linked on the page.

NOWRUZ

From page 1

a grain-based drink, at the event.

Chicago is home to a large Kyrgyz community of over 50,000 people, according to Mamatzhan. The Kyrgyz Community Center was established in 2016 and focuses on teaching American-born children about their culture.

“They were born here,” Mamatzhan said. “They are getting raised in the United States, and we want them to learn about our culture and language.”

Nowruz, “new day” in Persian, is also celebrated as the Persian New Year, according to first-year Slavic languages and literatures graduate student Bita Takrimi.

Takrimi also talked about Haft-sin, which she said is the most important part of Persian culture and new year celebrations. Haft-sin translates to the Seven S’s in English, where each “S” is a symbol, like an apple representing health and vinegar representing age.

This Thursday, the “Reimagining Slavic” series will

WESLEY

From page 1

Since the city recommended they move out, tenants have been negotiating with the city, housing groups and the properties’ owners and managers to find a way forward that meets their needs, he added.

For now, Evanston has committed to providing tenants temporary housing, living expense support and apartment search assistance, according to a city website set up for the situation. The city has also committed to providing one year of rent assistance to the tenants after they relocate to new properties.

Subsidies could be extended by one year on a caseby-case basis, according to Ald. Bobby Burns (5th).

The tenants will need more support than what the city has offered so far, Carter said.

In a March 15 message to city officials, Equity and Empowerment Commission Chair Darlene Cannon asked that the city help tenants find alternative housing located in Evanston — so as to uproot their lives as little as possible.

Carter said that wasn’t the case initially. He said Burns and city staff presented units in Rogers Park as options to move into, which made tenants “livid.”

But Burns said he and other Evanston officials never suggested tenants move to Rogers Park. Over the last few weeks, the city has reached out to 5th Ward landlords and other Evanston housing organizations to find available units for the tenants, he said.

“We’re trying to find new units every day,” Burns said.

He added that some tenants have started applying for new apartments.

Apartment residents also requested that the first year’s rent at new housing be fully paid for by the city, with two additional years of subsidies that allow them to pay their current rates elsewhere. That’s opposed to the current rent subsidy plan — to be administered by Connections for the Homeless — that would help tenants pay their current rates for one year as a baseline.

feature a talk about Mongolian art post-empire, and, later in the quarter, a film screening of the Turkmen movie “The Contest.”

Willson said Nowruz is the cultural celebration of the series, which focuses on decolonizing Slavic studies. As a whole, he said decolonizing academia should focus on what decolonization means to the people affected.

“Coloniality is a central dimension of life in Eurasia,” Willson said. “It’s just a fact of history.”

Willson’s co-organizer, art history professor Adrienn Kácsor, said both he and Willson have been passionate about visibility for Central Asian countries within Slavic studies, especially since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that began in 2022.

“Now there’s a moment finally (for) a very, very overdue attempt to start realizing that, for instance, Soviet culture is not just about Russia, just as Slavic culture is not just about Russian language and literature,” Kácsor said.

kaavyabutaney2026@u.northwestern.edu

“Our needs equal up to a dollar, and all they were offering us is a nickel,” Carter said.

Negotiations on rent subsidy are ongoing, and Carter said this lack of long-term security is a primary reason most tenants are still in the Wesley apartments.

Burns didn’t rule out the possibility of longer rent assistance programs but said the city is also considering how its response to the Wesley situation might set a precedent for the future.

“Whatever we provide the residents on Wesley, we have to provide for anybody that’s similarly displaced,” he said.

In the long term, tenants are asking for the right to return to the Wesley apartments after the buildings are rehabilitated. Ideally, Carter said, building ownership would also change to some form of land trust that could keep the apartments affordable in perpetuity.

But that’s not up to city officials. The Wesley apartments are private property — owned by Evanston Housing Coalition and managed by the Housing Opportunity Development Corporation, a nonprofit.

HODC, which has run day-to-day operations for the Wesley apartments since 2022, has not set a plan for the properties. Likewise, right of return agreements are also up in the air, according to the group’s executive director, Richard Koenig.

“We don’t know what the future is going to hold,” he said. “I doubt that EHC or HODC will be involved.”

The next meeting between Wesley tenants and city staff will take place Tuesday at the FleetwoodJourdain Community Center, Carter said.

“I’m hoping they will listen to our needs and at least consider holding a productive conversation,” he said.

Most of the tenants at the Wesley Avenue apartments are 60 to 80 years old, Carter said. As they continue to negotiate for more support, they’re also battling immense stress and sadness, he added.

“This was our retirement plan,” Carter said. “This community was supposed to be our last home.”

williamtong2026@u.northwestern.edu

NUDM

From page 1

Sol Anderson, president and CEO of ECF, opened the event Friday night. He praised the NUDM executive board’s commitment to rebuild the club “bigger, better and stronger” after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Weinberg senior and NUDM Director of Operations Kelsey Norton estimated about 900 people signed up to dance this year.

“It was amazing to see so many students come out,” she said. “(These were) the best numbers we’ve had since COVID, which was really encouraging, and we had really high retention throughout the entire 15 hours.”

Norton and Weinberg senior Grace Dyer, NUDM executive director, both said they think student participation increased because of changes made to NUDM’s format this year. To make NUDM more accessible this year, the organization experimented with shortening the dancing window from 30 hours to 15 and scheduling NUDM to be the first weekend of Spring Quarter, when student workloads would be less intense.

Dyer said NUDM surveyed dancers and nonparticipants for feedback on last year’s event. She said the responses indicated students wanted NUDM to be shorter and held a different weekend, so it didn’t conflict with studying for Winter Quarter finals.

Due to construction on Norris University Center’s East Lawn — NUDM’s usual location — the

From page 1

building process.

Tests of the system on the east side began last week, and Proskie said his neighbor had things fall down in her house due to the degree of the vibrations.

“She’s farther away than I am (from the stadium),” Proskie said. “The vibration was significant enough that it was shaking her whole body while she was trying to work.”

Proskie, who is currently out of town, said he was concerned about the state of his house and asked one of his neighbors to check and ensure no damage had been done.

He said nothing was out of order, but he is concerned about potential cracks in the foundation of his house because he has drywall and stucco walls, both of which are susceptible to deterioration.

According to updates on the Rebuild Ryan Field website, the construction team is monitoring the vibrations to make sure they are within a normal range. Residents are able to report any complaints they have about the demolition to a special 311 line.

Revelle said she gets a weekly report of all 311 calls for the 7th Ward, of which two or three are usually related to the demolition. She said she forwards the complaints to city staff

executive board also decided to move the event to Welsh-Ryan Arena.

“The energy in Welsh-Ryan Arena was really exciting and high,” Norton said. “I think moving it in there was well-received.”

Communication senior and fourth-time dancer Charlotte Furie said the format changes made staying up and dancing the whole time easier.

Weinberg senior and third-time dancer Nina Petrouski said the new timeline encouraged participation and improved fundraising efforts.

“Having the engagement here really boosts everyone’s energy and gets people motivated to donate even more,” Petrouski said.

Dyer said the NUDM executive board has already begun working on next year’s event. She said they hope to announce next year’s beneficiary by the start of June.

Though Dyer and Norton will graduate this spring, both said they are proud of the way NUDM has adapted and are excited to see what the next 50 years for the organization will bring.

“We’re at the point that we get to see what worked and what didn’t, and hopefully next year the executive board will get to keep the things that were positive changes and keep making changes of their own,” Dyer said. “I just think (NUDM 2024) was a really incredible way to leave a meaningful impact on Northwestern.”

davidsamson2026@u.northwestern.edu

members who are in contact with construction management and, overall, it seems they have been “very responsive.”

Proskie said he sent a complaint in and did not receive a response for 10 days.

His complaint was about the buffer zone that construction is supposed to have from residential areas. In the first week of demolition activities, materials were stored less than 35 feet away from residents’ homes — which Proskie said is a violation of city code. He said the issue was only resolved after he contacted Revelle directly.

The next steps in the rebuilding process include a full excavation and installation of a steel enclosure under the construction site, Revelle said.

She said it will be important for the city to alert residents about when these activities will begin, as they will be “much more sustained and disruptive” than previous demolition activities.

It is crucial for the construction team to obey the policies put in place to ensure residents’ everyday life isn’t disrupted, McCarthy said.

“It’s an issue of them following the rules that they’re supposed to be following,” McCarthy said. “If they are, then hopefully it goes smoothly.”

anaviprakash2027@u.northwestern.edu

Parties prepare for mid-April hearing of zoning suit

By WILLIAM TONG daily senior staffer @william2tong

Ahead of a mid-April court hearing, Ryan Field neighbors and the Most Livable City Association have pushed back on Northwestern and Evanston’s motion to dismiss three of four counts from their lawsuit over the stadium’s zoning change, which allows public-facing concerts at the venue.

MLCA and 13 stadium neighbors filed a civil complaint against Evanston in November, alleging the city deprived them of due process and violated its municipal code and state regulation in approving the rezoning of Ryan Field to allow concerts.

The complaint asks the Cook County Circuit Court to block the approved rezoning on four counts. First, plaintiffs allege that the city — through “arbitrary and capricious actions” including ignoring the Land Use Commission’s recommendations — deprived them of their right to “object to commercialization” of the Ryan Field district.

They also allege these actions prevented them from defending their “right to quiet enjoyment of their property.”

The other three counts revolve around the city’s alleged failure to follow the rezoning process. One claims six votes among the nine councilmembers and Mayor Daniel Biss was necessary to pass the rezoning in this case as a majority. Biss broke a 4-4 tie.

The city moved to dismiss this and two other counts from the case in February. In court documents supporting their dismissal motions,

Unemployment rises in Illinois, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports

Unemployment rates have slightly increased across all 14 metropolitan areas in Illinois since last February, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Illinois Department of Employment Security.

the city claims the only relevant definition of “majority” in the city code requires only five votes to pass ordinances — a rule that applies to zoning text amendments as well.

The other counts allege that the rezoning should have occurred through a map amendment instead of a text amendment based on Evanston’s zoning code, and the city did not follow state code when responding to residents’ opposition to the proposed zoning amendment.

NU, while not a direct party in the case, also intervened to dismiss the same counts as the city in March. The city and University are not currently seeking to dismiss the first count about deprivation of due process.

In court documents supporting their dismissal motions, the city and NU argue that MLCA and other plaintiffs have misinterpreted local and state zoning regulations.

As for the allegation that NU should have applied for a map instead of text amendment, the city and University contend a map amendment was necessary only if NU sought to change the physical boundaries of Ryan Field’s zoning district.

Since the University didn’t ask for that kind of redrawing, a text amendment sufficed, they wrote.

MLCA and stadium neighbors disagreed in a March 21 rebuttal brief to the dismissal motions. Holding concerts at Ryan Field changed the stadium land’s purpose so much that it “effectively created a new zoning district,” the plaintiffs wrote.

The city and University also argue that Illinois’ rule on how to approve a residentcontested zoning amendment does not apply because Evanston is a home-rule unit. The

The annual unemployment change was the highest in the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights metropolitan area, which includes Evanston, rising from a 4.3% unemployment rate in February 2023 to 5.1% as of last month.

Five metropolitan areas saw increases of 0.3 percentage points and three of 0.4 percentage points. Kankakee and Rockford were the areas with the highest unemployment rates — 6.8%.

Bloomington reported a 4.3% unemployment rate, the lowest among the 14 areas.

Shun Graves/The Daily Northwestern In briefs supporting their motions to dismiss a lawsuit over Ryan Field’s rezoning, NU and Evanston argue that Most Livable City Association and stadium neighbors misinterpreted local and state regulations.

plaintiffs pushed back and said Evanston municipal code’s silence on how to process those protests means state law automatically kicks in, according to state Supreme Court precedent.

Beyond what Evanston and NU claim are misinterpretations of city and state codes, they also argue that the city’s alleged failure to follow its own requirements is too weak a reason to invalidate the approved rezoning of Ryan Field.

Citing a 1988 state Supreme Court decision, they write that the court “lacks the authority to invalidate the (zoning) Amendment on the grounds that the City allegedly failed to follow

In comparison, the U.S. had an unemployment rate of 3.9% in February, 0.3 percentage points higher than last year, according to another BLS report released on March 8. Illinois’ statewide increase in unemployment was double the national increase.

Meanwhile, the total number of nonfarm jobs increased in 11 metropolitan areas and decreased in three, Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, Decatur and Springfield.

The highest increase was in Elgin, which has

the voting ‘requirements imposed by that body itself.’”

The stadium neighbors responded by arguing that the earlier state Supreme Court case — Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois v. Chicago — specifically permits a court to invalidate the zoning because the plaintiffs allege violations of their Constitutional due process rights.

After another round of responses from Evanston and NU due April 4, the parties will attend a hearing about the dismissal motion on April 17.

williamtong2026@u.northwestern.edu

261,800 nonfarm jobs available as of February.

“Today’s data continues to highlight the health and expansion of the Illinois labor market, with increases in jobs throughout a multitude of industries touching every corner of the state,” Deputy Gov. Andy Manar said in a Thursday news release.

The Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights metropolitan area saw an increase of 1,400 nonfarm jobs.

— Misha Oberoi

Sammy White returns from injury against Rutgers

By JAKE EPSTEIN daily senior staffer @jakeepste1n

Junior defender Sammy White entered the 2024 campaign with lofty expectations, eyeing a potential Tewaaraton finalist honor. She was a program centerpiece during Northwestern’s 2023 ascent to the collegiate landscape’s peak, and all signs pointed toward individual dominance during her squad’s title defense.

“I have really high goals and expectations for myself,” White told The Daily during preseason. “I just try to be the best defender, person, player, teammate every time I step on that field.”

The most valuable player of last season’s National Championship Game, White fought through an offseason achilles injury to start the Wildcats’ Feb. 11 season-opener against Syracuse. She anchored a stout defensive unit in early nonconference competition, finding consistency alongside senior defenders Carleigh Mahoney and Kendall Halpern.

However, White’s season stumbled into a firm roadblock just five games into the year. After White and her teammates toppled then-No. 1 Boston College, she was sidelined with a walking boot on her right foot. White missed six consecutive games due to the injury.

“It was definitely not what I expected for this season, but it gave me a different perspective,” White said postgame. “I was able to help the

girls on defense (from) the sideline.”

As one of the nation’s premier defensive talents finding herself out of commission, White said sitting idly on the bench was not an option for her.

A youth club coach at Sky Walkers Lacrosse, White put her summer gig into practice as another coaching asset for coach Kelly Amonte Hiller’s staff.

“I had an iPad on the sideline, and I was able to show the girls coming off the field what happened (and) help the girls on the field,” White said. “So, it was definitely difficult, but I think I still tried to make myself a part of the defense while being sidelined.”

After more than a month removed from game action, White received the all-clear for a Rutgers return this past Thursday.

For White, much of the rehabilitation process fell out of her control, she said. White added that there was not much she could do to speed her recovery besides rest and icing her injury.

Saturday night, though, she was back where she called the shots, helping NU secure a comprehensive 22-11 conference victory over the Scarlet Knights at Ryan Fieldhouse.

“We really came out to play tonight,” White said. “I mean, what’s better than a night game on a Saturday in Ryan Fieldhouse? We were all ready, we were prepared and we had a lot of fun today.”

White played every minute of the first three quarters, departing the matchup once the result was all said and done in the final frame. She

SOFTBALL

tallied two caused turnovers and pulled down a pair of draw controls Saturday night.

Amonte Hiller said White’s return will prove invaluable down the stretch.

“Anytime you can get someone back who’s got so much experience like Sammy — and has played in big moments — it is a true asset,” Amonte Hiller said of her star defender. “In her absence, we had a lot of great players step up. So, that’s helped us create depth (among) the defensive unit.”

White and the ’Cats will hit the road for a College Park clash against No. 1 Maryland next Saturday in a battle of perennial Big Ten powerhouses. The margin of error in conference play is especially slim this season, and NU’s next test will be especially decisive in league standings.

Terrapin coach Cathy Reese attempted to land the star junior defender out of local Dulaney High School in her 2021 recruiting class, but White opted to pave her own path and don the purple and white ar NU.

She said facing off against Maryland certainly creates extra motivation, and she’s thrilled to take on the challenge.

“They’re always a very hard team to play,” White said. “I’m really excited to have a lot of people from back home come and watch me play.

… Playing at Maryland is always a fun challenge, so I’m just really excited to do that.”

jacobepstein2026@u.northwestern.edu

NU takes Ohio State series 2-1

By RACHEL SCHLUETER the

daily northwestern @rschlueter26

In its first conference road series, Northwestern won two of three games against Ohio State.

Behind dominant offensive performances, the Wildcats (19-8, 5-1 Big Ten) took the series’ first two games. In Sunday’s series finale, the Buckeyes (19-12, 2-4 Big Ten) dealt NU its first conference loss and snapped the team’s 11-game winning streak.

Sophomore infielder Kansas Robinson, sophomore outfielder Kelsey Nader and graduate outfielder Angela Zedak powered the ’Cats’ production at the plate. The trio scored 10 of NU’s 19 runs during the weekend.

The ’Cats opened the series with a decisive 10-0 Friday victory. Miller picked up her second consecutive complete-game shutout of the season.

The two-time Big Ten Pitcher of the Week this season allowed just four hits and struck out eight batters. The result marked Miller’s sixth consecutive win and fourth consecutive shutout.

NU’s commanding offense gave Miller plenty of support in the circle. Nader and senior infielder Hannah Cady both tallied three RBIs for the ’Cats.

During the final inning, NU’s bats exploded for five runs. Nader and Cady singled and brought two runs across the plate. Zedak and sophomore infielder Bridget Donahey both picked up an RBI during the seventh.

The ’Cats’ momentum in the batter’s box carried into a 9-7 Saturday win. Four NU players homered in an offensive firestorm.

Zedak put the ’Cats on the board

in the first inning with a two-run shot over the left field wall.

Robinson — the reigning Big Ten Player of the Week — followed up Zedak’s bomb with another tworun homer. Freshman pitcher Renae Cunningham and freshman infielder Ainsley Muno capped off the ’Cats’ strong offensive showing with consecutive home runs, the first of their collegiate careers.

Entering the bottom of the seventh, NU held a 9-0 lead. Freshman pitcher Riley Grudzielanek held Ohio State scoreless through six innings — her longest outing in purple and white. Grudzielanek allowed two hits and three runs.

The Buckeyes threatened a comeback, scoring seven runs in the final inning. However, Cunningham entered the game and maintained her

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Coach McKeown lands two transfers for 2024-25 season

By HENRY FRIEMAN and AUDREY PACHUTA the daily northwestern @henryfrieman @audreypachuta

Coach Joe McKeown and Northwestern acquired two players through the transfer portal late last week.

Brown guard Kyla Jones and Bucknell forward Grace Sullivan each announced their commitments on their social media accounts Friday. Both players are Illinois natives.

Jones averaged 17.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game last season, earning first-team All-Ivy League accolades. The 5-foot-9 senior notched 20 double-digit scoring performances in 26 games, exceeding 20 points on nine occasions.

composure on the mound, recording her first career save. She allowed no hits and struck out one batter.

After two days of offensive onslaughts, the visitors’ bats fizzled out in the series finale. Ohio State senior pitcher Emily Ruck threw a complete-game shutout, and the ’Cats lost 6-0.

Miller, coming off an electric Friday outing, held the Buckeyes scoreless through the fourth inning. A fifth inning Ohio State grand slam put the Buckeyes up by four, and NU couldn’t respond. Two more solo homers secured Ohio State’s victory.

The ’Cats will return to the “J” next weekend to take on Michigan and defend their undefeated home streak.

rachelschlueter2026@u.northwestern.edu

In three seasons with the Bears, Jones scored 1097 points, making her the 23rd player in program history to reach the elsuive 1000-point threshold.

A Chicago native, Jones previously played at Whitney M. Young Magnet High School before attending Worcester Academy in Massachusetts for a prep year before her freshman season in Providence, Rhode Island.

Sullivan, a 6-foot-4 sophomore, averaged 8.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in 20 starts for the Bison last season. Sullivan scored a careerhigh 28 points against Loyola Maryland in February. During that game, she also grabbed 10 rebounds — her first career double-double.

It’s a homecoming for the Antioch, Illinois native, who played at Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein.

Sullivan will have two years of

eligibility remaining once she takes the court in purple and white. Jones will be a graduate transfer.

Due to NCAA rules stating all members of the Wildcats’ coaching staff must wait until the transfer process is completed to discuss any portal activity, McKeown was unable to comment on either move.

McKeown has consistently lauded his team’s program-building and developmental philosophy, as he prefers to have players experience natural progression in extended purple and white rather than loading up on transfer acquisitions. Last season, McKeown brought in one transfer in former Boston University guard Maggie Pina.

However, it’s looking like Northwestern will see some new faces in its rotation come next season. Many players’ future prospects in the program remain in question, as several Wildcats have the option to take an extra year of eligibility.

With the changing state of collegiate athletics, targeting transfers has become commonplace throughout NU sports, and it appears McKeown is seeking a significant shakeup from the past two seasons’ Big Ten struggles.

Accumulating a highly-touted recruiting class in addition to Jones’ and Sullivan’s acquisitions, the ’Cats look on the precipice of a new wave of talented veterans and young players alike.

henryfrieman2027@u.northwestern.edu

audreypachuta2027@u.northwestern.edu

Henry Frieman/The Daily Northwestern

Mary Randolph/The Daily Northwestern Sophomore outfielder Kelsey Nader swings at a pitch. Nader logged six hits in Northwestern’s series against Ohio State this past weekend.